This invention relates generally to medical ultrasonic diagnostic systems, and more particularly this invention relates to ultrasonic diagnostic instruments which employ detachable ultrasound transducer scanheads.
Modern ultrasonic diagnostic systems are large, complex instruments. Today""s premium ultrasound systems, while mounted in carts for portability, continue to weigh several hundred pounds. In the past, ultrasound systems such as the ADR 4000 ultrasound system produced by Advanced Technology Laboratories, Inc., were smaller desktop units about the size of a personal computer. However, such instruments lack many of the advanced features of today""s premium ultrasound systems such as color Doppler imaging and three dimensional display capabilities. As ultrasound systems become more sophisticated they also become bulkier.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,412 is a diagnostic ultrasound instrument which exhibits many of the features of a premium ultrasound system in an hand-held unit. The instrument can be produced as a single unit or in a preferred embodiment the instrument is a two-part unit one including a transducer, beamformer, and image processor and the other including a display and power source for both units. In such a configuration the transducer/processor unit can be manipulated with one hand while a cable between the two units enables the video to be shown on the display unit while the lateral unit is held or positioned for optimal viewing of the ultrasound image. The cable also provides energy for the transducer/processor unit from the display unit.
The transducer connector is a critical component in a diagnostic ultrasound device. In previous implementations, large, heavy connectors were designed which were quite reliable and maintained good signal fidelity. The disadvantages of size and weight were not of primary significance for larger scanning devices. In the case of a small, highly portable ultrasound scanner, however, size and weight are of primary importance, and existing technology was not adequate. Ideally, the connector for a highly portable scanner should be light weight and have a very low physical profile to conserve space. The present invention has these attributes.
The present invention overcomes limitations in the prior art by providing a transducer connector design that allows a significant reduction in connector size and weight. Key attributes of this invention are electrical contacts incorporated onto a printed circuit board, a folding latch assembly, and the use of lightweight, rigid materials for fabrication. Additionally, the mating half of the connector may be mounted directly on a printed circuit board implementing circuitry for a diagnostic ultrasound instrument, thus saving weight, volume, and complexity.
The printed circuit board of the mating half can include necessary electronics including one or more of a beamformer, signal processing circuitry, and a Doppler processor.
The invention and objects and features thereof will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims when taken with the drawings.